Emergency alarm and motor starting system



Nov. 9, 1937. G. E. LUKE EMERGENCY ALARM AND MOTOR STARTING SYSTEM Filed NOV. 25, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l FAQS CEA/7m# Nov. 9, 1937. G. E. LUKE EMERGENCY ALAR-Ml AND MOTOR STARTING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 25, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (gufuc ufo@ m, @www Patented Nov. 9, 1937 PATENT OFFICE EMERGENCY ALARM AND MOTOR START- ING SYSTEM George Edgar Luke, Syracuse, N. Y. Application November 25, 1935, Serial No. 51,536

SClnlms.

'This invention relates to nre alarm systems and the like, and more particularly, to nre alarm Systems wherein the various motor vehicles which constitute the emergency apparatus may be automatically started. I am aware that automatic starting ot the motors of fire or other emergency vehicles is not broadly new. but for the most part, the automatic systems which have been proposed heretofore do not readily lend themselves to application to present day motorized emergency equipment.

In the fire alarm systems most commonly employed at the present time in large cities or municipalities, there is provided a plurality of call box circuits distributedover the area covered by the city, and each of these circuits leads to a central omce, usually near the center of the city, this central oillce being known as fire central. The central oillce houses the recorders, repeaters, storage batteries, switching mechanism, etc., which are usually included in these alarm systems, and one or more attendants are on duty at the central oillce at all times. the attendant being known as the ilre central operator. From the central oillce leads a. plurality of circuits which are connected with the various ilre companies or precincts located in diiIerent parts of s the city or municipality. The number` of ilre companies or precincts, as well as the number of call box circuits will vary according to the size of the area to be served, and in a city of average size, there may be as many as thirty or forty lire companies scattered over the city. Each of the ilre companies or precincts is also connected with the central omce or re central so as to permit telephone communication.

According to the usual operation of such a system as just generally described. the tripping of any call box in the alarm system operates an annunciator, usually a gong and/or recorder of the perforated tape type, in both the central omce as`well as in each of the fire company stations or precincts. In other words, the alarm signal is vreceived at the central oillce and simultaneously distributed or repeated therefrom to all of the ilre companies or stations. Each call box is identified by a number and automatically signals this number by suitable signalling mechanism when the box is tripped. That is to say, the nre central operator, as well as the attendants at each ilre company or station, can determine what call box is tripped, as by counting the strokes of the gong previously referred to, or by noting the perforations in the recorder tape. However, since each ilre company or station serves only a relatively small area, it does not proceed to answerthealarmunlessthealarmisturnedin fromoneofthecallboxesusignedtothecompany within the particular area intended to be served by that company. It will therefore be apparent that the fire companies cannot determine whether they are to proceed to a nre until the strokes of the gong or the perforaticns in the recording tape complete the identifying signal of the call box from which the alarm is turned in. An appreciable time must elapse, therefore. before the ilre company attendants know which company or companies should answer the alarm.

The lire central operator or attendant plays an important part in the operation of the usual alarm systems. Before answering an alarm, the operator at the central oillce usually gives a verbal order over the telephone, releasing the particular company or companies which shall proceed to the re. Moreover, in the case of telephone or still alarms, the calls are received at firfe central by the ilre central operator, who must then communicate with the station precincts and give the order releasing the company which is nearest to the fire. As this order is usually communicated over the telephone, an appreciable time will elapse before the company is ready to move out or get under way.

It will therefore be seen that even though the delay in the usual system between the time an alarm is given and the time when the emergency apparatus starts to the lire is of comparatively short duration, there is still room for improvement. In emergencies of this sort, a delay of only a fraction of a minute may result in thousands of dollars of damage and/or the loss of human life.

One o! the primary objects of my invention has been to provide an alarm system which will expedite the answering of an alarm by the nre company or companies, and which minimizes delays ordinarily necessitated by reason of the particular arrangement of the alarm systems which are now most commonly in use. Although my improved system may require certain apparatus in addition to the usual apparatus, and thus increase the expense of the system slightly, such additional expense is more than oiIset by the provision of the additional safety in respect to property and human lives, particularly the latter.

As a further object of the invention, I have provided a very simple and eillcient means whereby the motors of motorized apparatus of the various'ilre companies are automatically started and the apparatus otherwise conditioned for im- .it mediately proceeding to answer the alarm as soon as the alarm signal is initiated. En other words, by the time the firemen tali-en their stations on the apparatus, the motors will be in operation and the apparatus will be ready to start to the fire. During this procedure, the usual annunciator system will indicate the source oi the alarm, so that there will be no delay in getting under Way as soon as the location o the nre is indicated by the annunciator, or by verbal announcement of the fire central operator.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide means ina fire alarm system for automatically actuating the usual electric starter motor of the motorized emergency apparatus, the ignition circuit, the fuel choke, and other auxilv iaries, which must be actuated to start the motors age battery on of the vehicles, and also to automatically open the doors of the housing stations, all instantaneously and responsive to initiation of the .transmission of an alarm signal over the alarm circuit.

In carrying out the aforementioned objects, I preferably provide a separate power source in order to conserve the energy of the storage bat teries which are usually part -of the equipment on the motorized vehicles, and which have heretofore been relied upon in the previous so-called automatic starting systems. In this connection, it is an object of the invention to provide means whereby the power for the automatic operations is initially derived from a power source separate from the usual power source on the vehicles, with the additional provision for connecting the starting motor and ignition circuits to the usual storthe vehicle after the automatic starting has been effected, this connection being preferably manually effected by the driver of the motor vehicle when he takes his station on the vehicle.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the nre central operator or attendant may automatically and instantaneously start all of the motors of vehicles at the various fire companies or precincts, said means preferably enabling the fire central operator to selectively control the automatic starting at will so that all of the motors can be started at the same time, or separately, or in any desired combination or combinations. This feature of my improved alarm system is particularly useful in the case of telephone alarms or still alarms.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter described, and the, novel features thereof dened by the appended claims.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a schematic or diagrammatic view representing my improved fire alarm system as a whole, said system including the usual call box circuits, a fire central oilice, and one or more fire company stations or precincts;

Figure 2 is a view oi a portion of the system shown in Figure 1, and particularly illustrating the selectively operable controls in the fire central oice or station; and

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the control circuits at each fire company station orprecinct, only one station being illustrated in this iigure inasmuch as each fire company station or precinctwill include the same or similar cir- A cuits.

Like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several iigures Aof the drawings.

the emergency Referring rst to Figure l., I have shown diagrammatically three call box loops or circuits, designated respectively circuit #1, circuit #2 and circuit #3, each connected with the re central omce or station, generally denoted by the reference character i.' By way oi example, the particular system illustrated is what is known as a closed circuit system, and the call boxes 2 in each of the circuits #1, #2, and .#3 are arranged in series in their respective circuits, in the usual manner. The call boxes may be of any conventional type, which, when tripped to transmit an alarm, will give a signal of such a character as to identify the particular call box which is tripped. As shown in Figure 1, the fire central oiilceJ is connected with the various fire companies or housing stations for the motorized emergency apparatus, designated for convenience, Co. A", Co. B, Co. C, Co. D, etc., and the circuits are so arranged that alarm signals are distributed from the fire central office i to each of the companies whenever a call box is tripped in any one ofthe circuits #1, #2, and #3. Patent No. 810,912, granted January 30, 1906, to F. W. Cole, shows an automatic noninterfering repeater which may be used as a part of my improved system, such as is designated 4 in the drawings, although it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to such precise arrangement. It will be understood that there may be as many call boxes and as many call box circuits as desired, according to the extent of the area to be served by the fire alarm system, and likewise, theremay be as many station houses or precincts as are necessary to adequately protect the area served.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, the complete circuit from one call box circuit (for example circuit #1) to one of the re companies (for example Co. A) has been diagrammatically shown in full lines, and the following description will be directed to this circuit as illustrative of the operation of the entire system. The other parts of the system have been shown in dotted lines, and it will be understood that the dotted circuits function in the same manner as will now be described.

The closed alarm circuit is energized by any suitable' power source, such as a bank of storage batteries 3, located for convenience at the iire central station or oiice, and the usual equipment, such as repeaters t, and a gong or gongs 5, or

some other annunciator, are also provided. At

each housing station or iire company precinct, as illustrated in Figure 3, there is located an electro-magnet E, and some suitable form of annunciator such as the gong t. The call box circuit, the gong 5, the storage batteries 3, the electro-magnet E and the gong are all arranged in the alarm system, as will be apparent from the drawings. Thus when the box circuit is broken, as by tripping one of the call boxes 2, the gongs 5 and 6 will be actuated, and the electro-magnet E will be deenergized. Ordinarily, the call boxes are provided with a breaker device, such as is well-known in the art for intermittently opening and closing the circuit whereby to transmit a series of signals in a predetermined order to identify the call box which is tripped. The gongs 5 and 6 will accordingly be sounded in such a manner that by counting the strokes of the gong,

the source of the alarm signal can be determined.

The electro-magnet E is provided with a pivoted armature 1 forming the movable element and normally held in its open position by the said magnet until the latter is deenergized by the opening ofthe circuit in which the electromagnet is arranged, the opening o! the circuit being normally controlled by thcall boxes 2.

When the amature 1 is released by the deenergizing of the magnet E, spring 3 urges the electric contact 9, carried by amature 1, into engagement with a relatively fixed contact In, the latter being carried by a stationary part II of switch e.

Switch e is in series with a power source. I2 so that when the switch e is closed, the door actuating mechanism, generally designated I3, for the doors Il, is energized to open the doors automatically. This door actuating mechanism may be of any suitable type, preferably electrically operated, and may include suitable automatic controls for causing the doors to close after a predetermined period, such mechanism being well known in the art.

The switch e also automatically controls the connection of the power source I2 with the circuits on the motorized emergency vehicles housed within the station, represented generally by the rectangular outline in dashed lines. included in this latter connection, is a separable plug, generally designated I5, which permits automatic separation of the coupling members thereof when the vehicle is driven from its station under its own power in response to an alarm.

The power source I2 is preferably of some reliable type such as a storage battery, although this power may be derived from any power supply line normally available in the station housing, if this is convenient. If the supply line is of the A. C. type, a rectifier may be utilized to convert the A. C. power to D. C., at such a voltage as to be applicable to the ignition circuit and starter motor circuit on the emergency motor Vehicle or vehicles. The primary object in providing this separate power source l2 is to conserve the energy of the storage battery I6 on the motor vehicle, and from which tl e ignition circuit and starting motor M is normally energized, having in mind that the vehicle motors will be started automatically more or less frequently in the normal operation of my improved system. The storage battery I6 is thus relieved from excessive drain, and need be only utilized in starting the vehicle motor for test purposes, or when the emergency apparatus is ready to return from the scene of a fire. Oi course, should the power source I2 fail for any reason, the storage battery I6 can be relied upon as it normally is relied upon in the usual manually controlled starting of the vehicle motor.

I'he ignition circuit, the starting motor circuit, the automatic fuel choke circuit, and the various other circuits and their operation will now be described: One side of the power source I2 is connected by conductor 20 to the pivoted armature 'I of switch e. The other member, iI, of switch e is connected by a conductor 2I to one of the coupling pins 22 of the separable connector I5. The other side of the power source I2 is connected directly to the other coupling pin 23 of the separable connector I5, as by means of conductor 2l. The door-operating devices I3 are connected in this circuit justv described by means of conductors 25 and 26, the former being connected to conductor 2|, and the latter to conductor 2l, thereby establishing a circuit from the power source I2 to the electrically operated devices I3 when the switch e is closed, as previously mentioned.

parts 2l of the separable connector I I, this part 2l being adapted to receive the coupling pins 22 and 2l in the usual manner oi' separable male and female plugs, and from one contact oi' the member 28, a conductor 28 leads to one side 30 of a single-pole double-throw switch S1. This switch may be mounted on the dashboard of the motor vehicle, or in some other convenient location i'or rendering the same readily accessible to the driver of the vehicle, The other contact of the member 28 is grounded to-the frame oi' the vehicle or to a common connection which may be designated the ground connection. The switch blade oi' switch Si is connected by conductor 3| to the usual high tension coil HT, which is in turn connected to the usual distributor D, from which the ignition wires lead to the spark plugs of the vehicle motor in the customary manner. 'I'he other side 32 of the switch Si is connected to one side of storage battery I8 by Vconductor 33, and an ammeter A may be interposed in this conductor in the usual manner. The other side of the storage battery-I8 is grounded. The blade of switch Si normally is left closed with contact 3D so as to normally condition the ignition circuit for en- 3 The motor vehicle is generally designated 2l,v and has mounted thereon one oi the separable ergization by the power source I2 while the vehicle is in the station housing and awaiting an emergency call. The connecting circuit, however,"

is normally open by reason of the open condition of switch e, it being understood that this switch is normally held open by the electro-magnet E until an alarm signal is initiated. However, as soon as a call box is tripped somewhere in the system, the normally closed alarm circuit is broken and the electro-magnet E becomes deener gized, thereby causing switch e to close and establish a circuit from the power source l2 'through the separable connector i5, to the ignition circuit just describedn Switch e remains closed under the urge of spring 8, which is greater than the magnetic pull of the electro-magnet E when the switch is in its closed position, until 'the alarm circuit is restored to its normally closed condition, whereupon the armature l may be manually moved baci: into the strong field oi' the electromagnet E for holding the switch e open to condition the circuit for subsequent automatic operation responsive to the turning in of another alarm.

At the same time the ignition circuit is eneru gized from the separate power source I2, the starting motor M is also energized through the following circuit: From conductor 29 over conductor 34, through the normally closed switch 35 which is held closed by the spring 36, and through conductor 31 to the ileld winding 38 of the starting motor M. The starting motor is also grounded so as to form a complete circuit from the power source I2 through the separable plug I5, to the starting motor.

Suitable means is provided to automatically dcenergize the starting motor M when the vehicle motor has started, and this may be accomplished through means of the current of the generator G, which begins to generate current when the vehicle motor starts. The generator G is connected by Vmeans of conductors 39 and 40 to one side of an electro-magnet II, the other side of the electro-magnet being grounded, as is also the other side of the generator G. This electro-magnet 4I is so disposed as to attract the movable arm 42 of switch 35, when energized, and thereby break this normally closed circuit, ex-

lll, so that the storage tending from the conductor il@ to the eld winding dit of motor M.

The automatic fuel cholre, generally designated lit, is connected in the samecircuit as the starting motor M, as by means oi conductor M, which leads to one side oi an electro-magnet Lit, arranged to act upon a valve it to control the intaire of air to the carbureter, as diagrammatically represented by the arrows in Figure 3. The other side of the electro-magnet it is connected to ground to complete the circuit. lit will be understood that the automatic choke d3 will be autornatically operated when the starting motor circuit is energized, and will be automatically restored to normal when the starting motor is deenergized, that is, after the vehicle motor has started up and caused the switch dit to open, as previously described.

Provision is made for connecting the generator G- with the storage battery it, so that the storage battery will be charged by the generator in the usual manner when the vehicle motor is running, and for this purpose, l provide a conductor ll which is tapped into the conductor and@ also into the generator circuit, as at lit. A manually operable switch S2 is provided in this conductor battery i@ will not feed baclr. to the electro-magnet il and cause switch @5 to open while the starting motor circuit is conditioned for automatic operation under the control of the re alarm circuit. This switch S2 may be in the form of a separate switch located within convenient reach of the vehicle-operator or driver, or it may be formed as a unit with switch Si so that the two switches work together. That is to say, switch Si may be so arranged that it will always be open when the switch Si is thrown to connect the switch blade of switch S1 with the contact itt, and when the switch blade Si is thrown to a position contacting with contact 32, the switch S2 closes, whereby to connect the generator with the storage battery it for charging the latter during the operation of the vehicle under its own power.

S3 generally designates a suitable manually controlled switch accessible to the vehicle operators hand or foot, whereby the starting motor may be energized from the storage battery it in the conventional manner of starting the vehicle motor. Thus when switch S1 is thrown to connect the ignition circuit with the storage battery i6, switch circuits 54, 55, 56, 51, etc.,

S3 permits the vehicle motor to be controlled manually instead of automatically, which, of course, is necessary in order to start the vehicle motor if for any reason the motor should be stopped when away from its station or house, or in the event the power source l2 should fail for some reason.

Reverting back to Figure 2, the selective controls for permitting the starting of the motors of the motorized emergency apparatus under the manual control of the fire central operator will now be described: I preferably employ a master switch 49 in the main alarm circuit, which may be manipulated by the re central operator or attendant to open the main circuit and thus manually send in an alarmto all of the re stations or companies, as will be obvious. This switch is preferably in the form of a, signal key, by means of which the re central operator may control the annunciator at the re stations in such a way that the latter can be operated to give various Additional switches 5I),y

in the various branch leading to the various predetermined signals. 5l, 52, and 53 are provided nre stations or precincts. By means oi these last mentioned switches, the rire central operator may selectively control the electrical circuits at the rire stations. The eect of actuating the master switch Clt will be the same as that resulting from the turning in oi an alarm at a call box, excepting for the tact that the call bon usually employs automatic breaker means for transmitting a predetermined series of signals to identify the call bei: which is being operated, whereas the master switch il@ must be manually actuated by the rire central operator. This master switch il@ controls all of the circuits in the fire stations or precincts simultaneously, whereas the switches liti, lil, iii, etc. control the separate circuits of their respective nre stations Co. a, Co. B, Co. C, Co. D", etc.

Occasionally, it may be desired to prevent the signals automatically initiated by the call looses, when the latter are tripped, irorn being transmitted to the nre stations or precincts. For this purpose, l have provided a switch tti, which is normally open, but which may be closed to shunt out the circuits leading to the hre stations or precincts. When this switch il@ is closed, the signals from the call boxes i will be transmitted to the fire central office, and no farther, and the sounding of the gong 5 at the fire central olce, or the perforations of the tape in the usual recorders, will indicate to the rire central operator what call box has been tripped. The fire central operator may then selectively actuate the master switch llt), if it is desired to signal all oi the re companies or precincts simultaneously, or actuate any one of the selective switches til, tl, ti,

etc., or any combination of the same, to signal one or more of the fire stations or precincts as the nre central operator sees ht. The opening of the switches te, it, ill, ti, and titl will not only actuate the annunciator at the respective fire companies, but also will automatically start the vehicle motors of the motorized apparatus at these stations, and open the doors of the station houses so that the apparatus is conditioned for proceeding immediately to answer the alarm as soon as the attendants at the stations or precincts taire their positions on the apparatus. Continued or intermittent opening and closing of the switches 49, t0. El, 52, and 53 will cause the annunclator at the re stations or precincts to operate, so as to indicate the location of the fire, but this continued or intermittent operation of these switches will have no eiect on the switches e at the fire stations or precincts when the switches e have closed. The switches e close practically instantaneously with the first opening oi' the master switch 49, or the respective switches 50, 5I, 52, and 53, and remain closed until reset to their open position at such time as the alarm system is restored to normal.

1t will be noted from the foregoing description that the main features of the invention comprise the automatic, simultaneous and/or selective energization of the ignition systems of the motorized apparatus at the lire stations or precincts, together with energization of the starting motors, operation of the fuel choke valve and operation of the station house doors. The operation of the various elements of the system should be obvious from the foregoing description, taken in conjunction with the drawings, and may be briefly summarized as follows:

Let it be assumed that the circuits of the system are normally closed and the elements of the v circuits are in their normal condition awaiting aooauo the turning in oi' an alarm. That is to say, switches I8, l0. ll, l2, and Il at the re central oillce are all closed, and the switches e at, the nre stations or precincts are held open by the normal energization of the'electro-magnets E, there being one o! these switches e and an electro-magnet E located at each company station or precinct. Switches S2 and S3 are normally open and switch Si is thrown so that the switch blade contacts with the contact 30, these latter switches all being located on the respective motorized vehicles at the company stations or precincts. Each vehicle also includes a switch 3B which is also normally closed, and let it be assumed that the separable parts of the plug I I on each vehicle are connected together. Now ii' an alarm is turned in at one oi' the call boxes 2 of the various loop circuits #1, #2, or #3, the alarm circuit will be broken in the usual manner heretofore practiced, and each oi' the switches e at the company stations or precincts will automatically close by reason of the fact that the electro-magnets E become deenerglzed when the alarm circuit is broken by the turning in of an alarm. The automatic signal transmission from the alarm box, in the usual manner, may be continued without affecting the switches e so that the annunciator 6, at each re company or precinct will operate in the usual manner.

Considering now what takes place at the re company stations or precincts, and referring to Co. A (Figure 3) by way of example, it being understood that the operation is similar at all of the precincts, the closing oi' switch e establishes a circuit from the power source I2 through switch e to the door-actuating mechanism I3 for doors il, thereby causing the doors to open automatically to permit the vehicle 2l to be driven out of the housing station when the attendants are ready to proceed to answer the alarm. At the same .e the door-operating mechanism i3 is energized, he closing of switch e establishes a circuit from the power source i2, through the separable plug i and over the conductor 29, through switch S1, to the ignition circuit comprising conductor 3i, high tension coil HT and distributor D. Simultaneously with the energizetion of the ignition circuit, the starting motor circuit is energized through the conductor 34, switch 35, conductor 31 and field winding 38 oi the starting motor M. The automatic choke 43 is likewise simultaneously energized along with the starting motor M through conductor M and, solenoid winding 45. As soon as the vehicle motor starts, as a result of the energization of these' circuits, the generator G will energize the electromagnet 4I through conductors 39 and 40, and attract the pivoted armature l2 against the tension of spring 36, and consequently open switch 35, thus automatically breaking the circuit to the starting motor and fuel choke.

During the automatic starting of the vehicle motor, the attendants at the fire station or precinct wili be taking their positions on the vehicle, and when the river reaches his driving station on the vehic ie merely has to throw switch Si to contact wit-, the contact 32 to transfer the ignition circuit to the circuit of the Storage battery I6, the latter being mounted upon the motor vehicle. This will cause the vehicle motor to operate under its own power entirely. Switch Sz is preferably closed simultaneously with the throwing of switch S1 towards the side establishing contact with contact 32, whereby to cause the generator to charge battery I6 while the motoria running. In other words, these switches Si and Ba may be so arranged as to be actuated together by a single manipulation, asl will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Should the power source I2 fail, or should the vehicle motor be stopped at the scene of the fire, or at any time after it has beenstarted from the power source I 2, it may be started by using battery I6 as the power source for the starting motor M and the automatic choke 43. Switch Sa, when closed, connects the starter motor circuit and the fuel choke circuit with the battery I6, this switch being of one ofthe conventional hand or foot operated types.

By the time the vehicle motor has been started automatically and the attendants have reached their positions on the apparatus, the annunciator 6 will have indicated the location of the ilre or scene of the emergency, and the motor vehicle can proceed immediately to answer the alarm and without any delay whatsoever. As the motor vehicle is driven forwardly, the separable plug I5 automatically separates. When the vehicle returns to its housing station, the separable parts of the plug l5 are connected together again so as to place the various circuits on the motor vehicle in circuit with the automatic control circuits of the alarm system. Tne'motors of those vehicles which do not respond to the call, may be stopped, after having been automatically started, by separating plug I5, and when the alarm circuit has been restored to normal, the plug can be connected together again to condition the motor for subsequent automatic starting.

It has been shown how the motor vehicles at the various fire stations or precincts are started automatically responsive to the turning in of an alarm at a call box in the alarm circuit. It not infrequently happens that calls for the emergency apparatus are made Via telephone. These calls are known as telephone alarms or still alarms. The telephone calls are usually always received at the ilre central station, andby reason ci the selective controls which form a part 0f my improved alarm system, the fire central attendant or operator may start the vehicle motors at the tire stations or precincts, simultaneously, or separately, as desired. That is to say, the rire central operator can control the alarm system, including the automatic motor starting circuits, independently of the call boxes in the alarm circuit. Master switch 49 controls the signal transmission and automatic starting of the vehicle motors at all of the fire stations or precincts simultaneously, whereas switches 5D, 5|, 52, 53, etc. control the individual circuits for theseparate precincts or Companies A", B, C, D", etc. It will thus be seen that my improved alarm system is more exible than has ever been proposed heretofore, and operates in such a manner as to materially expedite the conditioning oi' the motorized apparatus for promptly answering an emergency call.

It is to be understood that reference to a normally closed alarm system is made only by way of example herein, as it should be obvious to those skilled in the art that the various elements of the circuit may be of such a type as to constitute a normally open alarm circuit or system.

Inasmuch as the usual starting motor circuits and ignition circuits for these emergency motor vehicles are designed for six or twelve volts (sometimes six volts and sometimes twelve volts, de-

the storage battery it and the power source it should he such that either sin or twelve volts is produced at the terminals thereof, according to the requirements of the particular vehicles with which they are to he used. The power source represented at i2 is preferably derived from the house current at the station or precinct, as hy stepping 'down the voltage ii this house current is D. C., or by stepping down the voltage and rectiiylng the current ii it is d. C. On the other hand, a separate and independent power source, auch asa storage battery, may be ernpioyed ii desired.

`While the speelde details have heen herein shown and descriloed, the invention is not con-1 nned thereto as changes and alterations may he made Without departing `from the spirit thereof es defined by the appended claims.

What ll claim as new and desire to secure loy Letters hatent, is-

l. .an emergency system or the class described, comprising a call box circuit, an alarm circuit operable by the call box circuit, a housing station in the alarm circuit for housing a motorized emergency vehicle having an internal comloustion engine :for propelling the same and having electrical starting means including a power source on the vehicle ior starting the engine under manual control of the vehicle operator, means for automatically starting the engine o the rncn torized emergency vehicle at the housing station independently of the power source on the vehicle and incident to initiation oi an alarm signal from the call hor. circuit, said last-named means including another power source permanently maintained at the housing station and adapted to he connected with the starting means on the vehicle i responsive to operation oi the alarm circuit to transmit an alarm signal, and means operable at a point remote from the vehicle in the housing station for automatically starting the engine independently of the call loox circuit.

2. in emergency system oi the class described, comprising a call box circuit, an alarm circuit operalele ley the call bor circuit, a plurality ci housi-s acoatca ing stations in the alarm circuit, each housing one or more motorized emergency vehicles haw' ing internal combustion engines for propelling the same, and including a powery source on each vehicle for starting the engine under manual control oi the vehicle operator, means for automatically starts ing the engines ci the motorized vehicles at the housing stations independently oi the power sources on the vehicles and incident to initiation of an alarm signal from the call hor; circuit, said last-named means including another power source permanently maintained at each housing station and adapted to he connected with, the starting means on the vehicles responsive to operation of the alarm circuit to transmit an alarm signal, and means operable at a point remote rrorn the vehicles in the housing stations for automatically and selectively starting the engines independently 'or the call hor circuit.

3. in emergency system oi the class described, comprising a call box circuit, an alarm circuit operable by the call bor circuit, a housing station inthe alarm circuit ior housing a motorized emergency vehicle having an internal combustion engine for propelling the same, and having electrical starting means including a power source on the vehicle for starting the ens gine under manual control oi the vehicle operator, means for gine of the motorized vehicle at the housing station independently of the power source on the vehicle and incident to initiation oi an alarm signal from the call box circuit, said last-named means including another nently maintained at the housing station and adapted to he connected with the starting means on the vehicle responsive to operation of the alarm circuit to transmit an alarm signal, ,and means in the alarm circuit and operable at a point remote from the vehicle in the housing station ior automatically starting the engine independently oi the call box circuit.

GEORGE EDGAR Lm.

having electrical starting means` automatically starting the enpower source perma-Q 

